Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Leader of the Government, representing the Prime Minister. Today the Australian Renewable Energy Agency and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation announced the deployment of a solar project in the DeGrussa mine in central Western Australia. Thanks to these institutions clean energy now competes on price with diesel, but our Prime Minister is in Paris refusing to sign up to a communique, one led by the conservative prime minister, John Key, to end fossil fuel subsidies. My question is this: has the Prime Minister done a deal with the National Party to refuse to end those distorting investment decisions in favour of dirty sunset industries and acting as a handbrake on innovation?

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator, I can tell you that the government is committed to renewable energy. We are committed to renewable energy, we are committed to emissions reduction and we are committed to policies that actually deliver real outcomes. That is why you referred to the Prime Minister's speech in Paris.

That is why, in his speech in Paris, the Prime Minister committed Australia to the second-most ambitious emissions reduction target per capita of any G20 nation: an emissions reduction target of 2005 levels by 2030 of 52 per cent per capita. That is the second-most ambitious of any of the G20 nations.

That is a responsible climate policy. It is a responsible climate policy—unlike yours, Senator Di Natale—which proposes 90 per cent renewable energy without costing the policy, without indicating who would pay for the policy—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Pause the clock! A point of order, Senator Di Natale?

Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, Mr President. I acknowledge that there was a long preamble, and I have given the minister an opportunity to give a speech. However, my question was straightforward: has the Prime Minister done a deal with the National Party to ensure that fossil fuel subsidies continue?

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Di Natale. I will remind the minister of the question.

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Di Natale, when you say 'done a deal with the National Party': we are a coalition government, and all decisions that the government makes in all areas of policy, including in relation to climate policy, are the result of discussions among Liberal and National Party cabinet ministers. So every aspect of this government's climate policy, one of the most ambitious emissions reductions in the world on a per capita basis, is the result of a decision jointly made by Liberal Party ministers and National Party ministers through an orthodox cabinet process.

We are very proud of that cooperation, we are very proud of that partnership and we are very proud of the sensible outcomes that those deliberations produce.

Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Minister, on average the Clean Energy Finance Corporation and ARENA leverage $2 of private sector money for every dollar they invest in R&D. Is the government aware that if it persists with its abolition bills that on current trends this government would wipe $64 billion of future R&D activity and send this investment capital and our smartest minds overseas to develop these exciting technologies?

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Well, I—

Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order under standing order 73. Again, I fail to see how that supplementary question was relevant to the original question, which was about the diesel fuel rebate and subsidies, and the National Party and its defence of those. The supplementary goes to a completely different issue, on the Clean Energy Finance Corporation.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Canavan. I will allow the Attorney-General to answer what part of the question that he wishes to answer.

Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order. My question began with, 'Today, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation announced the deployment'—

Honourable senators interjecting—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order!

Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is absolutely consistent with the first question.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am going to allow the Attorney-General to answer the question if the Attorney-General wishes to answer the question.

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Di Natale, your question, although perhaps not technically a supplementary question, does give me the opportunity to explain to you all of the measures that the Australian government is taking in order to mitigate the effects of climate change. At the leaders event during the climate change talks, the Prime Minister announced that Australia will provide at least $1 billion to build climate change resilience and reduce emissions over the next five years.

As well, Australia was elected on 6 November—unanimously elected, I might say—as Co-Chair of the Green Climate Fund. As co-chair, Australia will play a key leadership role in the operation of the Green Climate Fund, with a focus on ensuring that it delivers results for our Pacific island neighbours. If you care to ask another supplementary, I will expand. (Time expired)

Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. My question again relates to ARENA and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation. There is clearly a disagreement now amongst cabinet ministers around whether those institutions should continue or be abolished. Will the minister prioritise for the next cabinet meeting the removal of their abolition bills from the Senate and from the Notice Paper?

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Di Natale, there is no disagreement at all. If you apprehend a disagreement then I am afraid you are deluded. The Clean Energy Finance Corporation has a legislated mandate which requires it, as you know, to invest in clean energy technologies, including renewable energy efficiency and low-emissions technologies. The government gives the Clean Energy Finance Corporation a more detailed investment mandate which rejects the CEFC in matters such as levels of risk and return and the broad allocation of investment funding across eligible technologies.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Pause the clock.

Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, on a point of order: I did not ask for a dissertation on what CEFC does. What I asked was whether this government will prioritise the abolition bill for both of those institutions.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I will remind the Attorney-General of the question.

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Di Natale, as you are aware, the government has introduced bills to abolish the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, but those bills have not passed the Senate. You are aware of that, so, for as long as the CEFC continues— (Time expired)